Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Spring Fundraising Event was held last night with wind chills in the -50'c range. That didn't stop the residents from Cambridge Bay as they showed up to support this great cause. Latitude 69, the band that Craig plays in, was the entertainment for the evening. The kids took over the dance floor first and before the night was over the adults were dancing to the music. Tons of homemade goodies, chili or char chowder, bannock, sausage rolls and hot dogs were served last night, hardly any leftovers. There were about 6 tables of prizes to be won plus one table of silent auction prizes. I received the final tally this morning and we raised $5400.00 which will be donated to the Women in Action 2014 and the Cross Cancer Institutes clinical trails program, not bad for a small community. Here are some highlights from the night.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Many of us in Cambridge Bay are excited this week as Bell Canada Mobility bought out Northwestel Mobility and erected a new cell phone tower. People who had any newer smart phones could not use them up here, most residents were using older cell phones or Blackberries. Now, being married to a LeBleu you can guess that we were the first in line to purchase an IPhone, well maybe not the first but pretty darn close. I have already been checking out any and all GSP covers for the IPhone 5S online. All I can say is what a difference, plus I can now phone or text anywhere in Canada and it's unlimited. So who was the first person I called tonight, my mommy of course. I guess with CHARS (Canada High Arctic Research Station) coming up here soon cell phone companies had to step up and come into the 21 century...now if we can only get faster internet.

Last Friday the high school asked if I could come in and talk to the grade 8 students about dog obedience, care and a bit of first aid. I wasn't sure who to bring, either Miss Molly or Blitz as I have retired Hannah. It is very bitter sweet or me as I am closing yet another page with my old girl and opening a new one with the boy. I had my moments of breakdown while I bathed Blitz the night before his school visit as for the past 12 years it was Hannah and I visiting schools, senior residents and fundraising events - she was my right hand dog. I wasn't sure how Blitz was going to react and behave as he is a bit of a wild child. His sensitive side took over and he was so well behaved and I couldn't be any prouder of him.

Having his pre-visit bath

Hannah took over the spot where we set up the heat lamp for Blitz

Chilling with me in the office

Well deserved sun spot after his school visit

The Elks Victoria Island Dart League, the league that Craig belongs to, held their 2nd Annual Tim Walsh Memorial Dart Tournament. I had the opportunity to go and take a few pictures mostly for Nunatsiaq Online. The funds raised from the tournament go to the Canadian Cancer Society as Tim, who was an active dart player, passed away from cancer a couple of years ago. The first two pics made it in Nunatsiaq News.

An overview of the tournament

Bernie Atatahak taking aim

Oh Howard! Same pose different venue. lol

Exciting things are happening at my work these past few weeks. Let me give you a bit of history, a couple years ago we received a new rack system for our freezers and it was installed upstairs. Much larger and heavier but more energy efficient, basically cut our power in half and that's huge up here. That's the good news, bad news is the rack put a lot of stress on our building and we had to get some structural engineers up here from Yellowknife to assess the building. Everything at my end of the plant had to be reinforced, huge beams and pillars are in place now - on the main floor and underneath the building. I now feel so much safer and the best news is that I am getting a large storage area just off my office. How did we achieve this? The construction team removed the unused shower areas in the bathrooms which are located just behind my office and made a room for me and all of my stuff. I have a lot of stuff! Paint is completed and they are just working on the new floor in the storage area and the bathrooms and locker areas.

This is a good view from my office door.

All of the putty that you see on the wall are from all of the stress cracks.

So messy but so well worth it

The storage area walls and ceiling are completed now and just the flooring needs to go in.

Once done I will update you all with some new pictures.

I forgot some paperwork at work this past week so I thought I'd bring Blitz with me for a drive. Of course he had to wait in the truck while I went inside to fetch my papers and when I came back this is how I found him...I wonder sometimes if he is part human.

He thinks he can drive the truck

Seriously Blitz get your paw off the steering wheel and move over.

Last Sunday I got the brainy idea to head out with Miss Molly and Blitz for a run. "It's ok, just a bit blowing snow" I told Craig. Yeah right!

Our view to the golf course

That little black dot in the middle is Miss Molly

Here comes Blitz with the ball that I didn't think he would find.

So as you can see we are still experiencing blizzards up here (too bad it was a Sunday and not a work day), maybe we should of checked the weather BEFORE we headed out instead of AFTER. Needless to say we didn't last long out there, probably took us longer to get ourselves and the dogs bundled up than the actually amount of time we were outside. Oh well it was an adventure, scary one but an adventure.

And here's the weather report for my friend Sandy who always asks about the weather whenever we talk. The actual temps are rising slowly but the winds keep the thermometer sitting in the -40'c range. Good news is that the sun is staying up longer, today is rose at 6:33am and the sunset was at 7:38pm. As we get ready to say good-bye to March we will have a month and half to wait until we experience 24 hour daylight again for about 6 weeks.

This weekend will be a busy one, I have another photo shoot with Gloria, one of the band members of Scary Bear Soundtrack and a lawyer here in town. She needs some professional headshots done and we will give it a try on Friday after work. Saturday is the annual kick off of spring with a huge cancer fundraising evening. Craig's band, Latitude 69, will be playing and I am honoured to be one of the hostesses with the mostesses. haha I will try to update the blog on Sunday to let you all know how everything went.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Today was a day of celebration, it was Hannah's 13th Birthday. It was a bitter sweet day for us as we know this will be her last birthday with us. I wished her a happy birthday when she woke me up at 4:00am as she needed to go outside and then again at 7:00am and the final one at 8:00am. Then we proceeded to wake Craig up at 9:30am so that he can wish her a happy birthday also.

I had the day planned with her and our first order of business was to head out on the newly open ice road with all of the dogs. We normally do not put her on a leash when we take her out but this time we did as she is more confused and unbalanced these days. It was wonderful to spend a good hour with her and the other dogs just walking on the ice. She started to get cold (even though she had her boots and coat on, she doesn't have too much body fat left) so Craig headed back to the truck with her. I took some pictures of her on the ice and I even got Craig to take a few of me and the dogs together. I know, it's usually me behind the camera but today was special in so many ways.

The Birthday Girl

Craig walking with Hannah on the ice

Blitz rubbing his face on the ice

My babies

Miss Molly

Sweet Hannah Banana and myself

Craig and Hannah

Blitz posing beside a tiny Inuksuk

I made some pineapple molasses treats today for the birthday girl and ground muskox and veggies for supper. I think sometimes the dogs eat better than we do. It was so worth it to see Hannah's eye light up when I gave her a treat and she was so excited to have supper tonight. Needless to say the other dogs had their share as well.

Birthday treats and supper

When we arrived home it was hot chocolate for Craig and chai latte for me and pineapple molasses homemade birthday treats for the dogs. After we warmed ourselves with hot liquid a photo shoot was in order. It was easy to get the dogs to look at me while I was behind the camera as all I needed to do was say 'truck', 'squirrel', 'Granny' and they would look straight in to the camera. When I was not behind the camera life became a little difficult. We did end up with a descent picture using a remote.

Hannah was getting tired during the shoot

Birthday girl front and centre

Hannah bowed out for this one

Our family (including Mocha!)

I took a drive on the ice road yesterday for the first time this year as it just opened this past week. So I bundled myself up and the shorthairs then headed down to the shore and drove to the end of the ice road. It's a short drive to West Arm and it's nice this year as there is not a lot of snow so you can walk around without going over any drifts. Miss Molly and Blitz had fun and it was finally nice to head outside for more than a couple of minutes. The wind chill yesterday was still sitting around the -40'c range but because we were lower than the banks we were well protected from the wind.

Miss Molly sitting in the middle of the ice road

Waiting patiently for me to throw the balls

A little frosty

Miss Molly

Somebody was happy to be out running again

Molly is famous for chewing on her tennis balls

Another pose

Did I mention how happy he was?

Blitz posing in front of Cambridge Bay on the ice road

I was asked to do some pictures for the opening ceremonies for the Kitikmeot Cup Hockey Tournament this year. Craig was a bit scared as they wanted me on the ice, I am known to be a 'little' bit accident prone. Don't worry moms, no broken bones. Deanna Taylor a 10 year old was chosen to sing O Canada and herself, her parents and the president of KIA (Kitikmeot Inuit Association) were chosen to drop the puck. The Taylor's son who was an avid hockey player passed away tragically in an accident and our arena was named after him. It was difficult shooting in the arena, bad lighting and after the ceremonies I had to shoot through plexi-glass. I only stayed until the first period as Nunatsiaq News wanted a picture and I had to get home and edit a couple for them.

10 year old Deanna Taylor singing O Canada

The Taylor family dropping the puck

Fred Muise as the master of ceremonies

The Cambridge Bay team

The Gjoa Haven Team

My buddy Howard

Opening face off

A little action

The arena was packed

Craig is on a leave for a couple of weeks but is staying put here in Cambridge Bay. It will be nice to come home from work at lunch and after I'm done for the day to have my meals waiting for me, a glass of wine, and laundry done. ha ha We are extremely happy that Craig's parents will be visiting us this summer for a couple of weeks. I will be working in the mornings while they are here as it is close to our fish harvest but I will taking some afternoons off to spend time with them.

The remaining pictures for today are just random ones from this past week.

The shorthairs sharing the spotlight

Miss Molly sitting like a lady

Miss Hannah

Molly goes into her cozy cave to sleep every night with a large stuff dog,

this night was extra cute.

Caught Blitz today with Mocha's toy in his mouth,

when we told him to drop it this was the look he gave us

This is my friend's dog Kova, a three-legged Malamute, who is the gentlest of all dogs.

Caught him waking up from an afternoon nap.

These two sail boats have been docked here all winter long waiting to set sail again